PRESS KIT 2015
TABLE OF CONTENTS
THE BEST EUROPEAN DESTINATION RESORT IS 20 YEARS OLD
Technical Data Sheet Chronology
PORTAVENTURA PARK
Mediterrània Polynesia China México Far West SésamoAventura
COSTA CARIBE AQUATIC PARK
FERRARI LAND
CIRQUE DU SOLEIL
SPECIAL EVENTS
Halloween Navidad White Nights
HOTELS AND ACCOMMODATION
Hotel Mansión de Lucy Hotel Gold River Hotel PortAventura Hotel Caribe Hotel El Paso Parking Caravaning
BUSINESS & EVENTS
PORTAVENTURA FOUNDATION
GENERAL INFORMATION
Getting here Mobile application Park map
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THE BEST EUROPEAN DESTINATION RESORT IS 20 YEARS OLD
2015 marks a milestone in the history of PortAventura. 20 years have passed since the launch of the first theme park in Spain. There have been many changes since then, but the spirit and drive to become the best family leisure destination in Europe remain intact.
In recent years PortAventura has developed into an international holiday resort for many families from all over Europe. A main part of its business strategy has been to continue to invest in new projects and equipment. In the last four years this has exceeded 125 million Euros.
With 4 million annual visitors, of which about half come from abroad, PortAventura is an economic engine for the province of Tarragona, creating approximately 8000 jobs both directly and indirectly, and represents one of Catalonia’s, and indeed Spain’s, leading tourist brands.
The PortAventura resort currently comprises of a theme park, waterpark, and four 4-star themed hotels hosting a total of 2078 rooms, along with the new Mansión de Lucy, a new 5-star hotel which opened at the start of 2015. In addition to this there is a Convention Centre that can hold up to 4000 people which adds the perfect finishing touch to the complex. To coincide with the twentieth anniversary of PortAventura, works will begin on the construction of Ferrari Land, the first Ferrari theme park in Europe and second worldwide, which is scheduled to open in 2016 on the grounds of the resort. The range of leisure on offer also includes the chance to play a few rounds on the three golf courses designed by Greg Norman, and a Beach Club with direct access to the beach.
Resort figures
1st theme park in Spain. 3rd largest park in Europe. More than 60 million visitors up to 2014. Around 1 million overnight stays in 2014. ¾ of visitors are families with children Shambhala, the roller coaster with three European records: Europe’s highest roller coaster (76 m), roller coaster with the longest descent in Europe (78 m), fastest European hypercoaster reaching speeds of 134 km/h on the first drop. Shambhala has received recognition in the form of the “Kirmes & Parks” award for the year's best new attraction and the “World of Parks” award for best new attraction of 2012. Europe’s largest showground: 15 daily shows and more than 100 performances every day during high season. The first resort in Europe to host a show by Cirque du Soleil.
Chronology
1995 Launch of Spain’s first theme park, with its most iconic attraction: Dragon Khan 1997 New roller coaster: Stampida 2000 New attraction Sea Odyssey: a fantastic submarine simulator 2002 PortAventura is transformed into a tourist destination, thanks to the opening of two hotels and a water park 2003 The Caribe Resort hotel opens its doors for the first time 2005 Arrival of the free fall Hurakan Condor 2007 New addition Furius Baco: extreme acceleration 2009 Opening of Hotel Gold River and PortAventura Convention Centre 2011 Launch of SésamoAventura 2012 Shambhala: roller coaster that has broken an incredible 3 European records 2013 Expansion of Costa Caribe Aquatic Park: 50,000 m² of water attractions and activities 2014 New attraction: Angkor: Adventure in the Lost Kingdom 2014 1st partnership with Cirque du Soleil, presenting the show Kooza Announcement of a continuing 5-year agreement 2015 20th Anniversary of PortAventura 2015 Premiere of the Cirque du Soleil’s new show Amaluna 2015 The first 5* hotel at PortAventura: Mansión de Lucy
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PORTAVENTURA PARK
PortAventura Park covers 105 hectares divided into six theme areas: the beautiful islands of Polynesia, colourful and lively México, exotic China, perilous yet fascinating Far West.
As the Park's birthplace and home is by the Mediterranean Sea, visitors and friends are welcomed on the shores of Mediterrània. There is also an area to delight the imagination of families, especially children: SésamoAventura.
There are 40 attractions for all ages in the theme park and 40 daily show performances. The resort also contains 48 food outlets and 31 shops featuring crafts, PortAventura merchandise and famous fashion labels. Visitors will also find 10 games areas for the whole family.
Technical Data Sheet
105 hectares distributed over six theme areas:
1. Mediterrània 2. Polynesia 3. China 4. México 5. Far West 6. SésamoAventura
40 rides 40 daily performances 48 food and beverage outlets 31 shops 10 games areas for the whole family
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1. Mediterrània
The area of Mediterrània is themed using original materials to recreate buildings typically found in Mediterranean villages. The professionals and artisans involved in its design and creation have strived for a perfect likeness in every detail, and visitors can experience this as they pass through the different zones of the first theme area that they will come across upon arrival at the park.
Mediterrània is home to one of the fastest rides in the park, Furius Baco, a roller coaster on which you will hurtle from 0 to 135 km/h in only 3 seconds, and is also the starting point for visitors looking for a more relaxed way to see the park, by boat sailing from Port de la Drassana or on the old-fashioned steam train that leaves from Estació del Nord.
TECHNICAL DATA: MEDITERRÀNIA Rides Furius Baco, Port de la Drassana, Estació del Nord Shows FiestAventura, Happy Birthday Parade, Happy Birthday PortAventura Restaurants El Racó de Mar, El Pòsit, Vinosfera
2. Polynesia
In Polynesia nothing is as it seems. The strange sculptures found along the way are deities, “Tikis” brought over from the islands of Fiji and Tonga. The entire pathway is surrounded by streams that flow over volcanic rocks, making the visitor feel like they are in a tropical paradise with fun attractions and unique shows.
Polynesia’s main rides are Tutuki Splash, wagons that drop rapidly from the summit of the volcano down to the lake, and the Kontiki canoes that navigate the Polynesian islands on the tumultuous sea waves.
In addition, this area is also home to the Mers du Sud store, which stocks original souvenirs imported from the real Polynesian islands, and Surf Paradise, where you can buy the latest clothing from surfing brand Quiksilver.
TECHNICAL DATA: POLYNESIA Rides Tutuki Splash, Canoes, Kontiki Shows Ice Age 4D, Aloha Tahití, Aves del Paríso, Pareos en Bora Bora Restaurants Bora Bora
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3. China
In China visitors enter the farming town of Ximpang where, in the higher parts, the Emperor has established his summer residence: a reconstruction of the “Forbidden City” of Beijing. Here you will also find an exact replica (in terms of both materials and size) of a stretch of the Great Wall.
In 2014 PortAventura Angkor launched, a new attraction inspired by the great Temple of Angkor, considered the largest religious structure ever built. This boat ride holds the record of being the longest circuit in Europe.
The attractions in China are among the most striking in the park. In addition to the fearsome Shambhala, the roller coaster that has broken an incredible 3 European records (highest roller coaster at 76 m, longest descent with a drop of 78 m and fastest hypercoaster reaching speeds of 134 km/h), visitors can enjoy the famous Dragon Khan, one of the most emblematic and iconic attractions of PortAventura that presides over the Imperial area. For the most daring, this roller coaster has 8 loop-the-loops, reaching zero gravity through a “corkscrew” effect and with a dizzying drop from 45 metres high at speeds of up to 100 km/h.
TECHNICAL DATA: CHINA Dragon Khan, Shambhala, Waitan Port, Cobra Imperial, Tea Cups, Children’s Area, Rides Driving School, Angkor: Adventure in the Lost Kingdom Shows Bubblebou, Celebration Restaurants Sichuan, Marco Polo, Degana, Canton, Kambuha
4. México
In this area you will experience the Millennium-old Mayan culture after the arrival of the Spaniards to the Americas. Here visitors will find the great Mayan pyramid, a reconstruction of Chichén Itzá that contains a multitude of surprises within, such as the tomb of Pakal the Great.
The main ride in México is Hurakan Condor, emulating the structure of the voladores pole, with an 86 metre free fall at 100 km/h that lasts 3 seconds. Also joining in the fun here are La Serpiente Emplumada and the mine train roller coaster El Diablo - Tren de la Mina. In Templo del Fuego the most daring can take part in an exciting search for treasure and accompany PortAventura’s most intrepid explorer in a show filled with fire and surprises.
TECHNICAL DATA: MÉXICO Hurakan Condor, El Diablo – Tren de la Mina, Yucatán, Los Potrillos, Armadillos, Rides Serpiente Emplumada, El Secreto de los Mayas Shows Templo del Fuego, ¡Viva México! Restaurants La Cantina, La Hacienda
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5. Far West
In Far West visitors can experience the hustle and bustle of the streets of Penitence, an authentic American West town, and visit the mining district of “C.C. Sampling & Ore Company”, which scours the waters of the Colorado River in the search for gold nuggets. There is also the opportunity to pop by the wooden buildings offering all kinds of games of skill and chance whilst the kids take a ride on board the carousel or try your hand at target practice in the Freund brothers’ Shooting Gallery.
Far West’s main rides are the traditional wooden coaster Stampida and the Silver River Flume, one of PortAventura’s most popular attractions where visitors ride the river rapids from inside a log.
In the Far West visitors can watch a real Can Can show or taste genuine All-American food in the four themed restaurants.
TECHNICAL DATA: FAR WEST Buffalo Rodeo, Silver River Flume, Stampida, Penitence Station, Tomahawk, Rides Grand Canyon Rapids, Carousel, Wild Buffalos, VolPaiute, Crazy Barrels Shows Can Can West, Old Wild West Restaurants Iron Horse Hotel, Emma’s House, Jeremias’ Food, The Old Steak House
6. SésamoAventura
The highly popular Sesame Street characters are waiting to greet visitors in SésamoAventura, the PortAventura family area where children are centre stage. All 11 attractions in this area have been specially designed and created for children from the age of one year.
The most striking feature is the enormous Magic Tree overlooking the area and waiting to welcome visitors. Its branches are illuminated by night and the terrace built into its trunk offers splendid views over the whole of SésamoAventura.
TECHNICAL DATA: SÉSAMOAVENTURA Tami Tami, La Granja de Elmo, El Salto de Blas, Coco Piloto, Mariposas Rides Saltarinas, Magic Fish, El Árbol Mágico, SésamoAventura Station, El Huerto Encantado, Waikiki, Loco Loco Tiki Shows Talent Show Restaurants La Cocina de Epi
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COSTA CARIBE AQUATIC PARK
PortAventura’s water park is an impressive area where anything is possible, from a siesta on the shores of a pool that is one-of-a-kind in Europe to the action-packed thrills of the different slides in the park, including the highest on the continent, King Khajuna. Costa Caribe Aquatic Park offers 14 attractions that guarantee fun for the whole family in a tropical setting that recreates the lush vegetation of the tropical islands.
The water park was extended in 2013 to cover a total surface area of 50,000 m2, and has something for both young and old, including new and exciting slides, a large adult pool and another children’s pool with activity zones.
In addition, visitors can enjoy a variety of dining options with four restaurants in Costa Caribe Aquatic Park, as well as a number of services such as solarium, tyre hire, sun loungers and changing rooms.
ATTRACTIONS El Gran El Triángulo de las Mambo Limbo El Tifón King Khajuna Caribe Bermudas El Torrente La Laguna de Woody El Rio Loco Barracudas Ciclón Tropical
Rapid Race Sésamo Beach Playa Paraíso Cayo Cookie
RESTAURANTS The Surfer Reggae Café La Cabaña Focacceria
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FERRARILAND
This year work will begin on Ferrari Land, a new theme area dedicated to the Prancing Horse coaster that is scheduled to open from 2016 within the PortAventura resort.
Following an estimated total investment of over 100 million Euros, this will be the first Ferrari theme park in Europe and the second in the world. Ferrari Land will cover a surface area of 75,000 square metres and will feature exciting attractions for fans of the brand of all ages, such as the highest and fastest vertical accelerator in Europe.
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CIRQUE DU SOLEIL
2014 was a milestone in the history of PortAventura as it became the first resort in Europe to host a show by Cirque du Soleil, which during the summer months set up base for the show Kooza.
Following the incredible success of this venture, supported by more than 100,000 spectators, the Canadian company once again puts its faith in PortAventura and will continue to perform at the resort for the next 5 summers. This year, Cirque du Soleil brings to us its show Amaluna, in which thousands of audience members every day can enjoy the spectacular combination of music and acrobatics that represents the essence of Cirque du Soleil. The show invites the audience to a mysterious island governed by Goddesses and guided by the cycles of the moon in a rite that honours femininity and celebrates the strength of women.
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SPECIAL EVENTS
1. Halloween
From the end of September until mid November, the streets and corners of PortAventura are filled with monsters, zombies and ghosts prowling between the attractions to turn a visit to the park into a spine- chilling experience. Parades of terrifying characters such as Dracula, the Mummy, Frankenstein and the Addams Family and pitch black walks through the jungles of Polynesia where monstrous creatures chill the blood of those anxiously awaiting frights and fun. And it’s not just the attractions that are transformed; the living dead and monsters can also be found lurking in the rooms of some of the resort hotels. Even all the different restaurants have sinister gastronomic delights on offer.
2. Christmas
PortAventura also wants to celebrate with the public, especially the children, a season as special and magical as Christmas. For this reason, at the end of November, when the Halloween monsters and spider webs have been tidied away, each park area is filled with fantasy and lights right up until the beginning of January.
Now the starring roles go to Woody, Winnie and all the other regular park characters. Every corner and all the shows are transformed to enchant the family with ice-skating spectaculars such as PortAventura on Ice and Santa Claus chats to our younger visitors in El Bosque Encantado. Restaurants have typical seasonal menus on offer and the hotel decorations fill the atmosphere with Christmas spirit throughout this entire period.
3. White Nights
PortAventura also organises classic white nights for every season. On several nights during the year, the resort is open until the early morning to celebrate themed days full of music and colour. Rides also stay open to allow everyone to enjoy a different kind of ambience on the thrilling Shambhala, Europe’s highest roller coaster, the mythical Dragon Khan, Hurakan Condor and Furius Baco.
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HOTELS AND ACCOMMODATION
1. Hotel Mansión de Lucy*****
Themed as a luxurious Victorian-style American mansion, Hotel Mansión de Lucy is the Resort’s first 5-star hotel. The building has the authentic character of the great mansions of the Far West, built on the fortunes of railroad and oil entrepreneurs or gold diggers that struck lucky. La Mansión de Lucy, formerly part of the Hotel Gold River complex, stands out for utmost attention to detail and an atmosphere that transports guests directly to the gold-fevered 19th century.
The hotel has 29 Deluxe Superior rooms and 2 Suites. Amongst its high-range services feature a lobby bar, personalised concierge service and porters, exclusive à la carte restaurant, pool, spa and gym, as well as Express Premium wristbands to enjoy all the attractions of PortAventura.
TECHNICAL DATA: HOTEL MANSIÓN DE LUCY Total Rooms 31 Restaurants Lucy’s Cuisine, Bar Mansión de Lucy Services Lobby bar, pool, spa, gym, Wi-Fi and Guest Service
2. Hotel Gold River****
Inspired by the Victorian splendour of the late 19th century, Hotel Gold River invites guests to journey back in time and stay a while in Sullivan. It is a small town founded in 1803 by Lucy Callaghan after discovering golden nuggets along the river where she and her family were resting on their way to Santa Fe. This discovery lead them to found the town of Sullivan, where families and pilgrims begin to settle and prosper thanks to the Gold Mine: Callaghan’s Mining Company.
This establishment has been designed to amaze visitors and provide them with a totally new experience thanks to exclusive facilities that combine history with cutting-edge technology for maximum comfort. The hotel has 3 river-shaped swimming pools, 3 restaurants and activities for both day and night. Hotel Gold River’s restaurant, Grand Hall, serves a varied buffet whilst the restaurants New Texas and Opera House offer à la carte specialities. In addition, there are 2 bars and 1 cafeteria.
The Callaghan Building has been recently added to the Hotel Gold River complex. This new annexe has 78 Deluxe rooms as well as its own reception, separate from the main Hotel Gold River reception. Guests can also enjoy the spa, gym and Express Premium wristbands, services that provide guests with a more personal treatment.
TECHNICAL DATA: HOTEL GOLD RIVER Total Rooms 580 Buffet Grand Hall, Grand Opera and New Texas, The River bar, Lobby bar and Gold River Restaurants Saloon Services Pools, bars, shop, games room, entertainment, Wi-Fi and Guest Service
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3. Hotel PortAventura****
Reflecting Mediterranean architecture and light, the hotel rooms are distributed over buildings of no more than three floors around a central area with swimming pools, gardens and terraces. Furthermore, Hotel PortAventura has direct access to the Park, offering maximum convenience for those wanting to enjoy the attractions and shows of PortAventura Park.
Out of all our hotels this is the one that best suits the needs of our younger guests as it features Woody & Friends rooms decorated and themed down to the smallest detail to delight the little ones.
The hotel also offers many opportunities for relaxation and exercise in the Fitness Centre or by taking part in some of the scheduled sporting activities such as tennis, aerobics, water volleyball, and many more.
TECHNICAL DATA: HOTEL PORTAVENTURA Total Rooms 500 (16 Deluxe, Woody & Friends rooms and 1 Suite Woody & Friends) Restaurantes La Cascada, Buffet del Port, Port Regata, Cal Pep, Buffet del Mar, Il Caffè di Roma Servicios Wi-Fi, pools, gym, sauna, jacuzzi, steam baths, entertainment and Guest Service
4. Hotel El Paso****
A mixture of Pre-Colombian cultures and colonial Mexico, Hotel El Paso is a prime example of the colourfulness of its haciendas and friendliness of its people. It is a very special hotel, both for its exotic nature and for its extreme comfort. Its rooms are distributed over various buildings based around a central area with gardens and blue-water swimming pools. Visitors can sample typical dishes of Mexican cuisine at the restaurants whilst enjoying typical native shows.
Children also have the opportunity to discover what the galleons of the Spanish colonists were like in one of the pools, where shipwrecked in the water is one of the ancient vessels that successfully reached the coasts of the Americas.
TECHNICAL DATA: HOTEL EL PASO Total Rooms 501 Restaurants Mérida, El Coyote and Club Maya Services Wi-Fi, pools, entertainment and Guest Service. “All-Inclusive” board basis
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5. Hotel Caribe****
Inspired by the idyllic tropical coasts, Hotel Caribe is surrounded by lush vegetation and leafy palm trees. This, coupled with the clear waters of the white sand pool, makes this property a safe bet to relax during the holidays.
Besides a wide range of cuisines and an extensive programme of sports activities, this hotel, with completely renovated rooms, also has a Wellness Centre & Spa, in addition to Club San Juan, an exclusive area with 26 Deluxe rooms, a reserved check-in zone, swimming pool and private terrace.
TECHNICAL DATA: HOTEL CARIBE Rooms 471 + 26 Deluxe Club San Juan rooms Buffet Bohío, Restaurante La Piazza, Puerto Viejo, Salsa Café, El Tinglado, La Restaurants Bodeguita del Medio Services Wi-Fi, pools, Wellness Centre & Spa, entertainment and Guest Service
6. Parking Caravaning
PortAventura also considers those who wish to enjoy the PortAventura experience from their own motor home. For this reason the resort has a designated caravan parking area, with 100 places for overnight stays.
Located barely 100 metres from the main entrance to PortAventura and Costa Caribe Aquatic Park, each place has access to its own electricity supply and nearby toilet and shower block, self-service launderette, snack and soft drink vending machines, and much more.
For everyone wishing to travel with their own motor home, this is a paid service and must be booked in advance on the PortAventura website, on the park reservations telephone number or at your local travel agency.
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PORTAVENTURA BUSINESS & EVENTS
PortAventura hosts one of the best convention centres in the south of Europe, available to companies that require 13,292 m2 of space to hold their events and celebrations.
It is a unique area that is suitable for any kind of set-up and agenda thanks to more than 18 modular rooms fitted with cutting-edge technological equipment and designed to hold between 10 and 4000 people.
Furthermore, the PortAventura Convention Centre permits access to the park’s five hotels, carefully- selected catering, the attractions and shows of PortAventura Park and Costa Caribe Aquatic Park and various activities tailor-made for each individual event.
All immersed in the charm of Mediterranean surroundings that are easily reachable by motorway, high- speed train and international airports.
In 2014 the Convention Centre hosted 154 events in which over 65,000 people participated. Of these, 61% were organised by international companies and 39% came via the national market.
Since it was created, PortAventura Business & Events has hosted numerous events for national and international companies. Amongst them, of particular note are the off-site meeting of Beagle Consulting, the Leadership Team Event organised by Unilever and the 10th L’Oréal Business Forum.
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PORTAVENTURA FOUNDATION
As a company committed to its immediate surroundings and to society, throughout its 20 years of history PortAventura has dedicated part of its means to corporate responsibility in the areas of human resources, environment and support to non-profit organisations and hospitals.
Since its creation PortAventura’s concern for the environment has been constant, as reflected by the impetus for the implementation of environmental management systems, respect for biodiversity, landscape conservation and responsible management and exploitation of natural resources.
In order to further develop its Corporate Responsibility policy, in 2011 the PortAventura Foundation was set up; a non-profit body that works to integrate into society groups at risk of social exclusion, particularly children and young people.
The Foundation concentrates its efforts specifically on consolidating actions within its regional environment. To this regard, and as a brand associated with happiness and excitement, it has carried out initiatives to facilitate access to leisure for the neediest groups by offering tickets to non-profit organisations, supported blood donation campaigns, set up special services on its premises for specific groups and arranged hospital visits by PortAventura characters, as well as integrating incapacitated workers into the company’s workforce.
In late 2014 the PortAventura Foundation signed an agreement with the Hospital Sant Joan de Deu in which the organisation has donated 3 million Euros to finance the construction of the hospital’s new paediatric ICU. The new facilities, which are scheduled for completion in 2016, will multiply by four the current capacity for critically ill patients. The project is based on the model of the ICU at Boston Hospital, regarded worldwide as the benchmark for this type of facility, and is funded by the largest private investment that the hospital has ever received for the purchase of new equipment. The partnership also includes the implementation of recreational activities and elements of decor, enabling PortAventura to bring the magic of its characters to children in the hospital.
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PRACTICALITIES
1. Getting here
By train
RENFE - PortAventura has its own station with connections from all main stations. Information and bookings: Tel. +34 902 24 02 02 - www.renfe.es
AVE - From Madrid, Guadalajara, Calatayud, Zaragoza or Lleida; this high-speed train terminates at Camp de Tarragona Station. From there Ràpid Tren operates a transfer service to PortAventura. Information and bookings: Tel. +34 902 2402 02 - www.renfe.es/ave
By car
PortAventura is at exit 35 of the AP-7 or Autopista del Mediterráneo (E-15 on the European route).
Coming from La Jonquera or the South of Spain, PortAventura can be reached on the AP-7. Coming from Barcelona or El Vendrell, the C-32 joins directly with the AP-7. Coming from the Basque Country or Zaragoza, it is possible to join the AP-7 from the AP-2.
Other major road networks are the national roads:
N-240 Tarragona-Lleida T-11 Tarragona-Teruel N-340 Barcelona-Valencia
GPS Coordinates: UMT (X=344975,1205; Y=4551203,34)
By plane
At just over 2 hours from Heathrow, Gatwick, Stansted and Luton with flights departing daily.
Reus Airport - PortAventura is only fifteen minutes away from Reus Airport (Tarragona).
Barcelona Airport – Passengers arriving at Barcelona Prat Airport are only 1 h from PortAventura.
Girona Airport – Girona, a 2-hour drive from PortAventura, is also a good choice for getting to PortAventura.
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2. PortAventura's Mobile Application
PortAventura has made available to clients a free mobile phone app that allows them to plan practically every aspect of their visit to the park. It is one of the most complete applications within the theme park sector, available for Android and Apple in Catalan, Spanish, English, French, Russian and German.
Just some of its features are purchasing tickets, reserving hotel rooms and transport to PortAventura, the option to create your own route at home and use the mobile phone as a guide during the visit. It also offers suggested itineraries based on visitor profile and it is possible to create alerts in order not to miss out on park events, especially shows. It also provides information on the attractions such as description, height restrictions, etc.
It is equipped with a tracking system for cars in the parking area, shows waiting times for attractions, makes restaurant bookings and finds special offers available at shops. There are also options to share the experience on each attraction on the main social networking sites.
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3. Resort map
4. 5. 6.
For more information please contact the PortAventura UK Press Office:
Isabelle Salib 0203 047 2394 [email protected]
Effie Kli 020 3047 2308 [email protected]
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